Aerosmith pulls it together for solid show at Mohegan Sun Casino

UNCASVILLE, Conn. – As part of one of rock’s most iconic and influential bands, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler has seen it all.

Celebrating their 40th anniversary this year, the lead singer has survived both a recent stint in rehab and a messy feud with guitarist Joe Perry, nearly resulting in a split from the band.

These recent woes – as well as Youtube videos surfacing that show the singer falling off stage and accidentally hitting Perry with his microphone stand on their “Cocked, Locked, and Ready to Rock” tour – only served to make Saturday night’s show at the Mohegan Sun Arena even more impressive.

From the very moment the curtain dropped at the arena, abruptly cutting off Nelly’s “Hot In Here” over the P.A. system, Tyler graced the stage as if he had something to prove to the crowd starting with the very first tune, “Same Old Song and Dance.”

The singer – 62 years old and looking every bit of it – danced around the stage with more energy and charisma than acts half his age, showcasing a still-impressive vocal range as the band shuffled through a seemingly endless catalogue of monster hits dating back to the mid 1970’s.

The band would go on to play “Eat The Rich” and a surprisingly energetic version of “Train Kept a Rollin,” which managed to up the tempo of the original version a few beats.

The rest of the band, too, managed to keep up with Tyler’s on-stage antics, playing much of their 20-song set with more enthusiasm than the studio versions of their songs could handle.

Due to the blues-based riffing of guitarists Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, too, the show retained a raw, rough-around the edges authenticity that most bands seem to lack as they cycle through one hit after another, recycling many of rock ‘n’ roll’s tired old clichés in the process.

Boston's most prolific rock 'n' roll band soldiered on with their endless collection of greatest hits, with highlights ranging from 1989’s “Love in an Elevator,” to 1976’s “Last Child,” to a surprisingly political version of 1993’s “Livin on the Edge.”

During this song, a disturbing and somewhat graphic video played over the giant screen behind the band, featuring images of accidents, violence, and more than a few recognizable television clips – all of which were followed by a hypnotizing swirl and an image of a television screen.

Even more disturbing, though, were close-up images of Tyler himself, leaving many in attendance inevitably wondering if the singer, in fact, had actually “sobered up.”

The band, though, kept the mood of the concert light and fun, though, with breaks for a somewhat comical drum solo courtesy of Joey Kramer (featuring Tyler on auxiliary percussion) and a particularly entertaining bit featuring Perry facing off against a computerized image of himself featured in “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith.”

In a treat for old-school Aerosmith fans, the band performed their version of the Beatles’ “Come Together” as well as a rare cut off their debut album, “Movin’ Out.”

The band rounded out the night by performing some of their most recognizable songs – including an experimental, noisy rendition of “Sweet Emotion,” as well as an encore featuring “Dream On” and “Walk This Way.”

Tyler himself ended the night with perhaps the most telling quote of all – “The light at the end of the tunnel is you,” he told the packed arena, as if he still had something to prove after an altogether impressive – and surprising – performance.

Also hailing from Boston, ska-punk band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones opened up the show with a lengthy set.

Perhaps best known for their one hit single, “The Impression That I Get,” the band cycled through material spanning their surprisingly extensive back catalogue, dating back to the mid 1980’s themselves.